The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-24

of Eva Ccswick, who was sprawling in q
most undignified position on the bulge of
sandstone, with nothing more between her
and eternity than that very unsatisfactory
and insufficient knob Of rock. II was evident
that she could move neither one way nor the
other without being precipitated to the bot
tom of the cliff, to which she was apparently
clinging by suction, like fly.
"Great Godn exclaimed Ernest. "Hold on,
will come to you"
~ can't hold much longer"
II was one thing to say that he would
come, and another to do it, The sand gave
scarcely any foothold; how was he to get
enough purchase to pull Eva round the
budget He looked at Dorothy in despair.
Her quick mind had taken in the situation at
glance.
"You must get down there above her
Ernest, and lie fiat and stretch out your hand
to her,"
"But there is nothing to hold to. When
she puts her weight on to my hand we shall
both go together"
"No, will hold your legs. Be quick, she
is getting exhausted
1t took Ernest but two seconds TO reach the
spot that Dorothy had pointed to- and to lay
himself fiat or rather slanting for his heels
were great deal higher than his head. For
tunately he discovered hard knob of sand
stone against which he could rest his left
hand. Meanwhile, Dorothy seating herself
as securely as she could above, seized him by
the ankles Then Ernest stretched his hand
downward, and gripping Eva by the wrist,
began to put out his strength. Had the three
| had any time to indulge their sense OF humor
they might have found the appearance they
| presented intensely ludcrCus but they had
not, for the very good reason that for thirty
spcOn1g n eO n
farthing's purchase. Ernest strained and
strained, but Eva was large woman, al
though she danced so lightly, and the bulge
over which he had to pull her was almost
perpendicular. Presently he felt that Dor
othy was beginning to slip above him.
"She must make an effort or we shall all
60" she said, in a quiet voice.
"Drive your knees into the sand, and throw
yourself forward, it is your only chanceW
gasped Ernest to the exhausted woman be-
meath him
She realized the meaning of his words, and
gave desperate struggle.
| "Pull, Doll, for Gods sake pull she's COM
ing"
Then followed second of despairing effort,
| and she was beside him on the spot where he
lay; another struggle, and the three sunk ex-
hausted on the top of the cliff, rescued from
most imminent death.
"By Jovel" calculated Ernest, "that was a
near thing"
Dorothy nodded, she was too exhausted to
speak Eva smiled and tainted.
He turned to her with little cry, and be-
gan to chafe her cold hands.
"Oh, she's dead, Doll!" he said
"No she has tainted Give me your hat"
Before he could do so she had seized it, and
was running as quickly as her exhaustion
would allow toward a spring that bubbled up
hundred yards away, and which once had
been the water supply of the old abbey
Ernest went on rubbing for a minute or
more, but without producing the slightest
effect. He was in despair. The beautiful
face beneath him looked SO wan and death
like all the red had left the lips. In his dis
tress and scarcely knowing what he did, he
bent over them and kissed them, once, twice.
thrice. This mode of restoration is not rec
commended in the medicine chest "guide" but
in this instance it was not without its effect
Presently faint and tremulous glow diffused
itself over the pale cheek; in another moment
it deepened to a most unmistakable blush
| WAS it half consciousness of Ernest's new
method of treatment, or merely the return
ing blood that produced that blushl Let us
not inquire) Next she sighed, opened her
eyes, and sat up.
"Oh, you are not deadl'
"No, don't think so; but can't quite re-
member What was it9 Ah, | know" and
she shut her eyes, as though to keep out some
horrid sight. Presently she opened them
again ''You have saved my lfe,n she said
of it had not been for you, should have
now been lying crushed at the foot of that
dreadful cliff l am so grateful"
At that moment Dorothy came back with
little water in Ernests black hat, for in her
hurry she had spilled most of it.
Here, drink some of this =" she said
Eva tried to do So but billycock hat is
not very convenient drinking vessel till you
get used to it, and she upset more than she
swallowed But what she got down did her
good She put down the hat and they all
three laughed a little; it was SO funny drink
ing out of an old hat
'Were you long down there before we
camep asked Dorothy.
"No, not long; only about half minute ON
that dreadful bulge"
"What on earth did you 60 there forln said
Ernest, putting his dripping hat ON his head
for the sun was hot
81 wanted to see the bones. am very act
i've, and thought that l could get up quite
safely; but sand is so slippery. Oh forgot;
look here" and she pointed to thin cord that
was tied to her wrist.
"What is thatln
"Why, it is tied to such an odd lead box
that found in the sand. Mr. Jones said the
other day that he thought it was bit of an
old coffin; but it is not, it is a lead box with
rusty iron handle. could not move it much,
but l had this bit of cord with mel thought
might want it getting down, you know-so
tied one end of it to the handlen
LET us pull it up" said Ernest, unfasten-
ing the cord from Eva's wrist and beginning
to tug
But the case was too heavy for him to lift
alone; indeed, it proved as much as they
could all three manage to drag il to the top.
However, up it came at last. Ernest exam
ined it carefully, and came to the conclusion
that it was very ancient The massive iron
handle at the top of the oblong case was
almost eaten through with rust, and the lead
itself was much corroded although from
fragments that still clung to it it was evident
that it had once been protected by an outer
washed out of the churchyard, where it had
'"i1 ua,,', ~ sen.ui iea ,...-,,, n.
now sufficiently interested To forget all about
her escone "IYbot can be in itGtreasnre or
papers. / should Think
II don't know y answered Ernest. "I should
hardly think that they would bury such
things in a cburchyard6
"Perbaps it is n small baby.p
ERNEST y broke in Dorothy. i'm nm apitatad
| =. An -. m. A.. al =. ,I